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Last week I attended a two day conference looking at ministry to those in the second half of life. It was a really interesting event. There were a number of speakers. The keynote speaker was Rob Merchant who is a gerontologist, author and Anglican priest.
Here are some reflections: It was a shock as someone in my early 50's to be lumped in with those in their late 60's and beyond. Actually I just thought that was silly. It also raised for me the question of how we take this age group, those whose children have left home or are about to leave home, (or have left home and then come back again) and who are getting nearer the end of this phase of a working life. I need to think more about that.It helped me become more conscious of the need to be as intentional in this ministry as in youth ministry. it isn't going to happen by accident. Having said that, one of the best sessions was taken by a Baptist church that has focused on the over 60's, and who listed some of their a…

Year B - Ordinary Time 20 or Pentecost 12August
19, 2012Readings:Hebrew Scripture: 1 Kings 2:10-12;
3:3-14 Psalm:Psalm 111Epistle: Ephesians 5:15-20Gospel: John 6:51-58What
I want to say:When reading John the big question is “who is
Jesus and why should we follow him/trust him/believe in him? It is important to not get stuck on the
details, but to pay attention them and push through them to the truth that they
point to. Use the two miracles at the beginning of this
section to illustrate that. use that to explore what John might have meant
having Jesus describe himself as the bread of life, and saying that people have
to eat his flesh and drink his blood. God, in Jesus, will meet us in our deepest
longing, and will satisfy that longing so that we might have life now in all
its fullness. Use Maximilian Kolbe to illustrate the point What
I want to happen:Re-read that whole story and meet God in new
and life giving ways as they look beyond the details to discover …

Gate Pa – August 12 2012Readings:Hebrew Scripture: 2 Samuel 18: 5-9, 15, 31-33 Psalm:130
(confession) Epistle:Ephesians
4: 25-5:2Gospel: John 6: 35, 41-51What I want to say:Introduce people to St. Clare and some of her gift to the Franciscan
story Use her story to explore the readings These help us understand the gift of being God’s people, a
missional community What I want to happen:St. George’s people to more intentionally embrace being a
missional people in how we treat each other and those we cross paths with, like
Brian The Sermon1.Introduction: - who is Clare?Born 1193 or 1194? Great noble families Assisi Role was to marry as directed Always prayerful, spent significant time alms giving Refused two offers of marriage 1212 she heard Francis preaching and was so impressed that she
determined join him in life poverty Palm Sunday March 1212 Clare secretly left home and joined Francis at
Portiuncula outside Assisi Uncle not going tolerate that – marriages arranged each But when tried to lift t…

This has been a big week. Too much going for. But I survived and hear I am Friday night blogging away.
Sunday after church I got a phone call on my way home from the church from a funeral director. A really nice lady who has been receiving home communion for quite awhile had died. I had my first funeral. I have welcomed others into St. Georges to take funerals, but this was my first one. Actually I think it is my first one in about 20 years. So I was pretty nervous going to visit them. The whole planning thing was a big learning curve. I think it all would have gone better if I had had time in my office with my computer hunting resources down to take with me, and getting my head around what needed to happen. But it was Sunday, and didn't have time for all that. Having said that, I think it all went pretty well. It was a privilege taking the funeral. I liked this woman. I liked her daughters. I was an honour being involved and i hope I did them all justice. it was a really nice fu…

I sometimes struggle to fine time to pray. This is one place that helps stop and make the time to pray in the business of the day. It is really good for those who struggle to have the place or space in their day.
Another really good resource is Pray as you go, which offers an mp3 for each day, to be played on an mp3 player while journeying to where ever you are going, work or whatever, by public transport or in your own car.

Gate Pa – 5th August 2012(the week
after Maori language week – te wiki o te reo MaoriReadings:Hebrew Scripture: 2 Samuel 11:26-12:13a Psalm:51 Epistle:Ephesians 4:1-16Gospel: John 6:24-35,What I want to say:
ask people why they think it is important to use te reo Māori
in the service, or what questions they have about using it?
Outline some of the reasons I think it is important: ·welcoming for
Maori speakers to hear their language ·Te reo Maori is a
gift from God, cultivated by our ancestors and bequeathed as a gift to all
generations it behoves us to fill our hearts with what is good and just. ·official language
of Aotearoa New Zealand and as such deserves a place in our services opartly because it
is an official language opartly Maori is
used all around us and is part of our context ·who we are as
Anglicans in this country olanguage first Anglican
church (te Haahi Mihinare) olanguage of our
tikanga partners in this land ·enable us to
worship with Tikanga Maori partners with confidence ·Luthera…

My passion is for a church that takes young people and youth ministry seriously. I am looking for how that might be.
I am a Third Order Franciscan and a Priest in the Anglican Church in Aotearoa - New Zealand. I have been involved in ministry among young people for the last 23 years. I am now a vicar of a small parish on a very historic site here in Tauranga, trying to live out all I have learnt about faith, life and ministry.
I am married with three great children.